Conservative’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Conservative’s answer: NoThe Conservative government’s employment-insurance changes will include special rules for repeat users of the program, requiring them to accept lower-paying jobs than Canadians who are using EI for the first time. Facing political pressure to cough up the details of its EI changes, the government will outline its plans much sooner than originally stated. Details are starting to circulate and sources have confirmed one aspect of the change will relate to wages. A policy that takes into account a person’s historic use of EI will most directly affect seasonal workers who use EI year after year. That risks igniting regional tensions, particularly in Atlantic Canada where there are a higher proportion of those workers than in the rest of the country.Source

Liberal’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Liberal’s answer: YesBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a Liberal government will overhaul EI to provide reasonable support for seasonal workers so as to sustain the livelihood and viability of their communities until the benefits of the proposed Employment Development Strategy are realised.
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New Democratic’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

New Democratic’s answer: YesNew Democrats believe in: Increasing EI benefits and flexibility for caregivers to allow family members to take leave of employment for up to six months in order to care for loved ones nearing the end of their...Source

Green’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Green’s answer: Yes Expanding the EI system can be justified as a sensible economic measure, as well as a matter of equity. This is one measure that does not require finding new money. The EI system has a healthy fund built up, yet the majority of unemployed workers are denied its benefits. Source

Libertarian’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Libertarian’s answer: No, and the government should not be involved in employment insurance for any industryGovernment shall be prohibited from giving money to charitable endeavors unless the funds are voluntarily contributed to government for that purpose. Charity and social welfare should more properly be administered by voluntary...Source

Communist’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Communist’s answer: YesOver the past six months, the Harper Conservative government has put in place vicious “austerity” attacks on the people of Canada by severely restricting access to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits for workers. Young workers, already at a disadvantage in collecting EI, will be further excluded and impoverished. Cuts to Employment Insurance are not simply a cut in federal funding to a social program. They are cuts to a system into which all working people must directly pay into, no matter who they are, and which is intended to guarantee employment. The working class majority, whose sweat and toil by ‘hand and brain’ has produced all the wealth in this country, are being robbed.Source

Christian Heritage’s political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Christian Heritage’s answer: No, instead provide training and job placement assistance into non-seasonal jobsThe CHP would like to see the EI system revamped, but unlike anything the opposition or government have proposed. The CHP would move to a Personal Security Account (PSA) as was proposed by Dr. Robert Thomson back in 1980. This method of handling employment issues would have better provided for this present crisis, as it has done in Chile where this model was adopted over 20 years ago. Beginning with their first job, individuals and their employers would each contribute 5% to their PSA, just as we do now for EI and CPP, and in Ontario, Healthcare. This money is saved in an account that specifically belongs to that individual. When needed, the individual may withdraw needed funds from their account. Had this plan been in place, funds would have been available to carry people through the 2 week waiting period required to collect EI. Those newly unemployed would be able to withdraw up to a maximum of 15% per year from their PSA, after which, government assistance would kick in and provide support if it were needed.Source

Bloc Québécois’ political stances on employment insurance

Should employment insurance be given to those who work seasonal jobs including tourism, fishery and farming?statsdiscuss

Bloc Québécois’ answer: YesOne thing is painfully clear, the reform will affect seasonal workers in the Quebec fishing industry in the GaspÃc and ÃŽles de la Madeleine, where fishermen work about four months and remain on EI the rest of the year. This has set off a panic in the regions affected with demonstrations protesting the new rules held in several Quebec towns. One demonstration against these EI changes brought out 4,000 of the 14,000 residents of ÃŽles de la Madeleine, an island in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence that depends on the seasonal fishing and tourist industry to survive. Fully 40% of the workforce collects EI during the 'off' season. One of the fears is that the changes will lead to an exodus out of the region, something that happened in Newfoundland after the failure of the fishery. The Quebec minister responsible, Agnes Maltais, in a televised interview was absolutely furious with the Conservatives decision, going so far as calling the changes illegitimate because Ottawa never consulted Quebec.Source